DB Vol 4 Part 3

As if understanding Won-woo’s thoughts, Supervisor Lee explained in a low voice. It seemed that not only could the child float objects, but he could also float himself. Only then did Won-woo understand why the area behind the bed hadn’t been blocked off. It was meant to encourage the child to hide inside the room rather than wander outside.

“If he hides in the forest, it’s hard to find him, but it’s also dangerous for the child. He gets bitten by bugs, gets scratched, and hurt all over. Plus, he’s still young and has no sense of distance, so he often wanders deep into the forest without realizing it and gets lost.”

So that was why they left the space behind the bed alone, even knowing it was narrow and uncomfortable for the child. Won-woo could imagine everyone frantically searching for him every time the child vanished.

“Did you used to work in childcare?”

He asked because she was an Esper, not a Guide. Usually, Guide took care of Esper children.

“No. It’s just that no one else could endure this position, so eventually, it became my turn.”

Supervisor Lee lowered her voice to a whisper, as if worried the child might hear.

“The previous Guide was a truly unbearable person.”

Ah, that bastard the Guide Center had sent. Won-woo thought that he must have tormented people quite a bit.

“By the way, did that person just go back?”

“…….”

“Why? Is he still in the North?”

Staring at Won-woo, she smiled and shook her head.

“No. He went back.”

“You just sent him back? You should have hit him a few times.”

Once again, Supervisor Lee only smiled. Won-woo felt frustrated. The people of the North, especially those of the Gye Family, were rumored to be rough and blunt, but the ones he had met here were the opposite. They were all moved class="wm" style="opacity:0;font-size:1px;user-select:all;">unauthorized copy]unauthorized copy -->unauthorized copyto tears by a child’s reaction and let a villain just walk away. They were all as soft as tofu. At this rate, they were bound to be crushed by Ji Geun-oh and the Yang Family.

“Hitting him wouldn’t solve the problem,” she said with a smile.

However, Won-woo, unaware that the problem had been solved through death, felt even more stifled.

“Tell me who it is later. If I see him, I’ll throw a punch for you.”

Supervisor Lee continued to smile. Then, she looked at him with curiosity.

“You’re quite different.”

“Ah… compared to the people of the Ji Family?”

“That too, but also compared to other Guides. Usually, if they can guide a unique wave of this level, they consider themselves special. They aren’t humble like you, Won-woo-ssi.”

I’m not that special. Just as Won-woo was about to answer, stolen contentunauthorized copystyle="position:absolute;left:-9999px;font-size:0;">[visit our site]Supervisor Lee’s eyes lit up as if she remembered something.

“Looking at you reminds me of a Guide. A friend of mine; they were somewhat similar to you.”

“Must have been handsome, then?”

When he cracked the joke, she burst into laughter. Then she nodded.

“Their heart was very handsome, that friend.”

Thinking of that friend, her laughter subsided, leaving only a slight smile.

“They’re no longer in this world, but a long time ago, they were the Guide here. They were a C-class Guide, so their abilities weren’t outstanding, but since the Esper they had to take care of was such a baby, they just held the child and guided him all day long.”

C-class… Guide? Won-woo tilted his head, questioning the specific term.

“Who was the Esper that Guide was in charge of?”

“Ah, the Vice Head.”

“…….”

“That friend wasn’t exactly the affectionate type with children, but their persistence was unmatched. Even with a child, guiding all day isn’t easy, but they did it. Thanks to that, it’s fair to say the Vice Head grew up in that friend’s hands.”

Won-woo kept his gaze on the floor and couldn’t bring himself to respond, but Supervisor Lee, excited by the reminiscence, continued to chatter softly.

“They had a very easygoing personality, and that was their strength. Even with hard work, they’d just say, ‘I’ll give it a try,’ and get it done without a fuss. Of course, it was never easy, but they had no fear when facing a challenge the next time. So perhaps… that’s why they rushed here when something happened to the Gye family head.”

At the end, Supervisor Lee’s voice sank low, as if remembering her deceased friend. She struggled to suppress the rising emotion and brightened her voice again.

“At the time, it had been a few years since that friend left the Gye Family, but can you believe it? They drove a truck here because it was urgent. Truly, they were someone who did everything with such ease. Oh, I have a photo, want to see it?”

Only then did Won-woo give a small nod, though he still couldn’t look Supervisor Lee in the face. Supervisor Lee took out her phone and found a photo with poor [unauthorized copy]visit our site -->visit our sitestyle="position:absolute;left:-9999px;font-size:0;">[Read on Read BL Novels]resolution. Won-woo looked at the phone from a distance before slowly reaching out to take it.

In the photo, a woman had fallen asleep while sitting, looking exhausted, and in her arms was a boy of about two years old, also fast asleep. The hand holding the phone trembled slightly.

“Ah, when you first came to this room, right? You said you’d try your best to learn if someone taught you how to be affectionate. That friend said the same thing. When I told them they were too blunt with the child, they asked me to teach them. That they’d try their best to learn. So I told them all sorts of things on how to be affectionate. That friend…”

Supervisor Lee’s story continued, but it didn’t reach Won-woo’s ears. He could do nothing but stare at the photo. However, the phone soon vibrated, and a message popped up, covering the image.

‘Monster sighting in OO region. All Espers belonging to the North Center, please stand by.’

Only then did Won-woo snap back to his senses, and Supervisor Lee took the phone back with a frown.

“Strange. It’s been quiet for the past few months…?”

Muttering anxiously, she asked Won-woo to watch the spot for a moment and left the room. Even after she left, Won-woo remained in that position for a long time, staring blankly at the floor.

He felt strange. In his previous life, he had wanted to know [stolen content]-->so much about [visit our site]the connection between Aunt and Gye Yoon, and he had wanted to be a part of it. That childish desire had grown so sorrowfully large that at times, he had even hated him.

Yet now, having glimpsed the past of the two people he had longed for, he didn’t feel relieved. He felt as if he finally understood. What use was the past? A photo was just a photo. The reality that he couldn’t see the person he truly wanted to see remained the same.

Reality. Yes, he should have enjoyed that reality in his previous life. Instead of being jealous or envious when Aunt brought him here. He should have strengthened the new relationship formed by inserting himself between those two and been grateful for that moment.

Regret over the past was always cruelly bitter. With his head bowed, Won-woo tried to exhale a breath that wouldn’t properly release, but it wasn’t easy. Something felt tightly blocked in his throat. It grew larger, tightening his chest. That breath finally burst out because of a small voice.

“Does it boo-boo?”

He slowly turned his head. It was the child’s voice, but he couldn’t see him clearly. Only after wiping the moisture from his eyes with the back of his hand did Won-woo realize he was crying.

The child was poking his body out from the hiding spot. Since he was crouching on the floor and obscured by the shadow, his face was still invisible. However, he could see a small hand folded like a clam and one plump, short leg.

It was surprising that the child who had been hiding had come out even this much. He knew he should quickly offer a kind word, but it wouldn’t come. He simply bowed his head again, gritting his teeth and trying to compose his emotions. Then, he barely managed to shake his head.

“No, no boo-boo. It doesn’t hurt.”

His voice didn’t come out properly because his throat hurt. Moisture filled his eyes again, blurring his vision.

“But why you cry?”

I wonder, why am I crying? He felt pathetic for being comforted by a child, yet he couldn’t easily suppress the heat in his throat. Won-woo gave the child a pathetic answer.

“Just… because the strawberries were delicious.”

---

Geon-young had a headache. On top of everything, another Esper in the team had died, meaning he had to write all sorts of reports, be summoned upstairs, and have meeting after meeting to assess the situation. But since the most important witness, Ji Won-woo, had vanished, nothing was being resolved properly.

Naturally, he should have blamed everything on Ji Won-woo and poured his anger onto him, but strangely, worry preceded anger. Where the hell is this guy? Is he even alive? The office, where three colleagues had vanished, was as quiet as a funeral home, yet the only new team member continued to show up for work as if nothing were wrong and trained hard alone.

That wasn’t all. She had been summoned upstairs and ordered a personnel transfer that anyone belonging to the Eastern Center would consider the worst, yet she showed no agitation. Thus, Geon-young’s gaze toward Seo-na was full of disapproval.

“Are you that excited to go to the North Center?”

Despite his provocative tone, Seo-na just sat in her seat and glanced up with indifferent eyes. Geon-young truly could not understand her. Exchanges of Espers between Centers were common, but the North Center was a place suffering from a chronic shortage of Guides because of the Gye Family.

Naturally, no Esper wanted to go there. Even the Eastern Center always refused when the North requested Espers. They couldn’t force an Esper to go if they didn’t want to. If an Esper did agree, there was only one reason.

“No, if you’re that greedy for money, just leave the Center and go freelance. I heard they pay a lot if you become a direct Esper for the Gye Family. Huh?”

Despite Geon-young’s sarcasm, Seo-na didn’t even give him a glance, preoccupied with organizing her final documents. She looked like someone who wanted to finish quickly and head North. Having no further words for the unresponsive woman, Geon-young cursed inwardly and left the office. He went to the breakroom and put a cigarette in his mouth, but the welcoming voice of a friend stopped him.

“Didn’t go out to the field today?”

“Ah, Seung-wook.”

Geon-young sighed first as he called him.

“I’d go if I had kids to take with me. The team is completely shattered, fuck.”

He wondered if the team would disappear entirely at this rate.

“Any word from… Ji Won-woo yet?”

“Ji Won-woo? Ha, none. I don’t even know if that bastard is alive.”

Geon-young sighed again, merely holding the cigarette he had intended to light. Thinking of Ji Won-woo suddenly made the cigarette lose its appeal. Then, a firm voice was heard.

“Of course he’s alive.”

“How do you know that?”

As Geon-young frowned, Seung-wook answered expressionlessly.

“I know Ji Won-woo well. He wouldn’t have died in such a hollow way.”

It sounded like complete nonsense, but Geon-young couldn’t tease his friend. Hearing such words somehow made him feel a bit relieved. Why am I relieved? He frowned again as the thought occurred to him. Seeing his expression, Seung-wook asked curiously.

“Is something wrong?”

“Huh? Ah… the opposite. A bothersome human has vanished from my sight. But clearly, it’s bad news for her, yet she looks happy?”

“Tell me properly.”

Only then did Geon-young tell him that Seo-na was going to the North Center. At that, Seung-wook’s expression became strange.

“Wasn’t Han Seo-na-ssi close with Ji Won-woo?”

“What? Were they?”

Geon-young tilted his head as if he didn’t remember well, but Seung-wook’s gaze hardened. In his memory, he had clearly seen Seo-na with Won-woo several times. The visit our siteRead on Read BL Novelsatmosphere hadn’t Read on Read BL Novelsbeen bad, either. And yet she’s going North?

“By the way, is something going on with you every night lately? I heard you go somewhere every day after work.”

“Who said that?”

“Who else? Idan-i. He was worried because he can’t reach you at night. He said it seems like you don’t even go home. Don’t tell me you’ve found someone else…”

“No.”

Seung-wook denied it instantly and turned away. Geon-young called out from behind, but Seung-wook’s mind was filled with other thoughts. Instead of searching for Won-woo tonight, he decided he should try meeting Seo-na.

---

‘It’s been about two years. That’s when monster trees suddenly started appearing in the North in places other than the farms. No matter how much we monitor and manage, we can’t check every inch of land every hour. I understand, but… monsters appearing in the North like this was unheard of before. It’s as if someone intentionally planted and grew the seeds; they’ve increased suddenly. It’s been quiet for the past few months, but it’s starting again. As if Ji Geun-oh finished his urgent business, became free, and started playing with it again.’

Chief Jung’s final words were a conjecture containing his personal opinion, but Won-woo believed he wouldn’t have reached such a conclusion without some evidence. Thus, he knew that the silence inside the mansion late at night was not simple tranquility.

Just like the text that had come to Supervisor Lee’s phone, all Espers would be tense, ready to go out and deal with monsters at any moment. Naturally, it was said Read visit our siteon Read BL Novelsthat the Gye family head and Gye Yoon were the first to deploy.

‘The Vice Head usually handles things alone, so he went without support. Therefore, he might not return today.’

Despite Chief Jung’s guidance, Won-woo sat in front of his room’s door, leaning his head against the wall and quietly closing his eyes. He wasn’t sleepy; he just liked this spot. Earlier, he had cried in front of the child after seeing the photo of Aunt and Gye Yoon, but as time passed, the meaning of this massive mansion felt different.

Even this hallway was a trace of those two. They must have passed this spot hundreds, thousands of times. He decided to be satisfied with the fact that he could join them, even if it was late. No, he wanted to be satisfied with that. That way, he felt he could look at Gye Yoon without crying.

Tadak.

The sound of footsteps stopped right nearby. Won-woo slowly opened his eyes and lifted his head. The owner of the room he had been waiting for stood there with confused eyes. His clothes were torn in various places and stained with monster blood, showing how many monsters he had killed. Won-woo explained first to the man who couldn’t find the words.

“I’m here to give you guiding.”

“Later.”

Later? As Won-woo stood up, puzzled, Gye Yoon frowned and took a step back.

“I think you need it right now.”

“I can endure it. A bit later.”

“Why?”

Why, fuck. A low curse seemed to escape Gye Yoon’s lips, only to be covered by a sigh. Then he stared with fierce eyes.

“Because if I receive guiding now, I think I’ll get hard.”

Get hard? At first, Won-woo didn’t immediately understand the words. Thanks to that, he was able to maintain an expressionless face, but as the silence continued, it became difficult to speak. He belatedly remembered that Espers could become aroused during guiding.

He recalled hearing that the pleasure of pain disappearing could stimulate sexual arousal. That was why the term ‘guiding sex’ existed. However, Won-woo had only heard of it and had never seen it in person, so it was unfamiliar. He had mostly used his abilities to kill Espers.

Seo-na, whom he had consistently guided, had always said things like:

‘If you can’t control your urges while receiving guiding to the point of harassing the Guide, you should just cut off your dick.’

So, Won-woo asked nonchalantly.

“It’s not so distressing that you’d need to cut it off, is it?”

This time, it seemed Gye Yoon was the one who didn’t understand Won-woo’s words. He slowly tilted his head to the side.

“If it’s distressing, do I absolutely have to cut it off?”

“If it happens every time, it’ll be hard to receive guiding.”

In that case, cutting it off would be better. Thanks to being brainwashed by Seo-na, Won-woo’s opinion was quite firm. Of course, the other party did not want to cut it.

“If I don’t endure it, it won’t be hard for me.”

Gye Yoon, seemingly having lost the desire to retreat, took a step forward and provoked Won-woo.

“Is it okay not to endure it?”

Not endure it? Of course you have to. Before Won-woo could retort, Gye Yoon added:

“Mine is a size too precious to cut.”

In an instant, the talk about wrists came back to him. Thicker than a wrist. To stop himself from instinctively looking down, Won-woo tensed his face and replied crookedly.

“If you can’t endure it, you shouldn’t receive guiding.”

“That’s why I said I won’t receive it now.”

“……Ah.”

Right. I caught that. Having realized it late, he should have just said, ‘Alright, receive it later,’ and let him go, but his pride was subtly wounded. While he remained silent, conflicted for a moment, Gye Yoon asked again.

“Can I do it?”

“Do… what exactly?”

Gye Yoon shrugged and spoke lightly.

“I’ll do it myself.”

Because it was said so nonchalantly, Won-woo was momentarily confused, wondering if this was a common occurrence. Since this world was one where Espers held the upper hand, was it normal for an Esper to be aroused while guiding? The confusion was plainly visible on Won-woo’s face, and Gye Yoon, staring at him as if observing, tossed out a question.

“Or do you want to hold it for me?”

“Hold wha—”

Fortunately, he was able to stop the stupid question halfway. It was obvious what he meant. Since his pride was too wounded to show his fluster, Won-woo also shrugged nonchalantly. As if he were used to such things.

“I don’t want to. I’ve never seen anything that looked like it wanted to be held.”

“You haven’t seen mine yet.”

This time, Won-woo couldn’t help but glance down, confirming the long shape revealed atop the man’s thigh. Why was he aroused?

“The fact that you said you’d guide me is a stimulant for me.”

The explanation came voluntarily, even though Won-woo hadn’t asked.

“But if you’re scared of this situation, Won-woo-ssi, just do it later like I said.”

“Who said I was scared?”

Won-woo countered immediately, trying to find the right word, but nothing came to mind. Awkward, uncomfortable—none of them felt right. He worried it would look like he was just clumsy because it was his first time. His pride, once established, would not allow that. Still, as he hesitated, wondering if he should just do it later, a question that grated on his nerves reached him.

“If you’re not scared, there’s only one reason you’re hesitating. You’re afraid you’ll get aroused too.”

What? Won-woo widened his eyes in disbelief, and Gye Yoon spoke again with nonchalance.

“I’m fine with it. I understand everything.”

“You don’t have to understand. I’m not aroused, and I’m not scared.”

Won-woo spat out the words irritably and pointed toward the bedroom door.

“Open it. Let’s just get this over with.”

Despite being the room where the Vice Head of the Gye Family stayed, it wasn’t much different from Won-woo’s guest room. Much like the child’s [stolen content]room, it was practical, containing only the necessary furniture. However, even Read on Read BL NovelsEND: Read on Read BL Novels -->if this room had been as dazzling as an emperor’s bedroom, Won-woo didn’t have the leisure to sightsee.

His attention was entirely focused on the bathroom. It had only been a short while since Gye Yoon had gone in, saying he would wash up, but every second felt like ten years of anxiety. In reality, only fifteen minutes had passed. Won-woo took a deep breath, trying to brainwash himself not to be nervous.

I just have to provide guiding. If the other person gets aroused, well, I’ll just overlook it. The thing I want least right now is for him to notice that I’m nervous because of it. To have the other person be perfectly fine while he was the only one bothered—there was nothing more embarrassing than that.

Just as he had spent sleepless nights obsessing over it after his wrist had been grabbed. And besides, even if he got aroused from guiding, what would happen? At most, an erection and masturbation… Wait. Only then did Won-woo realize what Gye Yoon intended to do. He recalled the situation and immediately shook his head. No way. Not unless he’s crazy, doing that in front of someone else.

Click.

With the sound of the door, the bright light from the bathroom poured into the dark interior, where only one small lamp was lit. Along with it drifted the faint scent of body wash. Won-woo looked up, pretending to be calm, but he nearly choked on his saliva at the sight of the man.

He was standing there with nothing but a long towel wrapped around his waist. Perhaps because he had showered in haste, droplets of water that hadn’t been properly dried fell to the floor. As soon as Gye Yoon saw Won-woo, he swept back his wet hair with his hand and let out a breath that made his chest heave. Feeling that Gye Yoon seemed relieved to see him, Won-woo asked, puzzled.

“What is it?”

“I thought you had left.”

“Can’t you tell by the sound?”

At Won-woo’s question, Gye Yoon asked back, looking perplexed.

“You told me not to use my abilities on you.”

I meant don’t use them to see through lies or read my mood. Won-woo didn’t bother explaining and simply nodded. It’s better if he doesn’t use them on me at all.

“That’s right. I don’t like using them.”

“Are you afraid I’ll notice you’re nervous?”

Won-woo laughed as if it were absurd, swallowing his tension.

“I’m just providing guiding, so why would I be nervous? If anything, [stolen content]wm: stolen [visit our site]content -->aren’t you the one who’s nervous, Gye Yoon-ssi?”

“Yes. A little.”

“….”

As Won-woo froze, unable to speak, Gye Yoon swept his hair back again and averted his gaze.

“Not a lot, just a little.”

“Fine. Just-a-little-nervous Gye Yoon-ssi, please sit. So we can finish the guiding quickly.”

Won-woo spoke as professionally as possible, gesturing to the space in front of him. However, as he watched Gye Yoon walk across the room, every hair on his body stood on end.

When the man stopped in front of him, it felt as if a giant wall had blocked his path, even without looking up. Yet, he managed not to look at him. This was truly something he could praise himself for, but he soon regretted it.

Because he should have checked where the man was sitting. With a thud, Gye Yoon sat down in the spot right next to Won-woo visit our siteon the sofa. Expecting [visit our site]him to sit opposite, Won-woo turned to look at him in surprise, but no complaint could escape his lips. The first thing that caught his eye was the man’s bare upper body.

He knew the man had a large build, but being this close, he felt like an especially imposing barrier. Moreover, the scent of the body wash mixed with his body heat, making it feel like a fragrance emanating from him. Feeling as though his sight and smell were entirely captivated by the man’s body and scent, Won-woo tried to regain his composure by focusing solely on Gye Yoon’s hand. Let’s just get this over with. Just as Won-woo reached for his hand, a low, husky voice asked.

“Is it really okay to do this?”

Won-woo’s hand faltered in mid-air, but he summoned the courage to take the man’s hand. However, that courage only extended to holding hands. He didn’t have the courage to turn his gaze and confirm how aroused the man was.

Without giving any answer, Won-woo held his hand and focused on drawing out the disordered energy. As the massive energy began to flow out through the small gap, the hand he held flinched. But there was something more distracting.

“Huu…”

A long sigh escaped Gye Yoon’s lips as if releasing tension. Once the process of energy leaving the body becomes familiar, the body naturally exhales to relax. However, this was entirely different from the sighs he had heard from Seo-na. It wasn’t simply releasing tension like she did. The breath flowing from Gye Yoon was hot and humid, like a tropical night. While Won-woo was guiding, a strange, eroticism mingled in.

Won-woo tried to focus all his attention on Gye Yoon’s large, firm hand with its prominent veins, but at some point, the low, heat-laced sound of breathing began to dominate Won-woo’s internal space. From that moment, the hand he held felt burning hot.

“Haa.”

Another low, deep breath escaped and lingered. The respiration, laced with arousal, was more stimulating than expected, and Won-woo looked up without realizing it. And he met a pair of black eyes that had never once left him.

Once captured by those eyes, which seemed to shimmer with heat, it was difficult to look away. Though Won-woo saw only his eyes, ironically, he instinctively knew that the man had begun to move his other hand. There were subtle sounds that allowed him to picture the situation without seeing. The sound of a towel being pushed aside and him gripping something and sliding upward. That friction sound familiar to anyone who has masturbated.

“I’ve stopped.”

A husky, clouded voice whispered to Won-woo. As if snapping back to his senses, Won-woo turned his gaze completely away into the void. Let’s just finish this quickly. Forcing himself to concentrate, he steadily filled Gye Yoon’s interior with the energy he had been accumulating. But he couldn’t completely shut out the surroundings.

Slick, shlick.

The sound of skin sliding upward slowly echoed loudly, like a ringing bell. Just as his patience was running out, the guiding fortunately came to an end. Won-woo tried to quickly pull his hand away, but the hand holding him would not let go.

“Haa, just a moment.”

The strength holding Won-woo was clearly coercive, [visit our site]on Read BL Novels">Read on Read BL Novelscopy">unauthorized copybut he could have pushed him away if he had forced it. However, he missed the timing because he hesitated.

Gye Yoon noticed that hesitation with uncanny precision and gripped him tighter. A heat that felt as if it would melt his entire body poured in through the hand. Won-woo attributed it to that. The reason his face was flushing so hot.

Won-woo held his breath and kept his head turned toward the void. Even so, his gaze wandered without a place to land, drifting in the middle of the thump, thump, thump of the accelerating masturbation. There seemed to be no way out. Gye Yoon’s roughening breath blocked all of Won-woo’s thoughts.

“Haa, haa, ha.”

---

Seo-na had no intention of taking her friend to the North. Her call with Umji was swornly for the sole purpose of informing her that she was suddenly heading North. But this simple friend suddenly asked sharply.

[What’s the real reason you’re going North?]

Seo-na paused while getting off her bike and removing her helmet.

“There isn’t one. I’m just going because the higher-ups told me to.”

[Since when did you start listening so well?]

“What are you talking about? I’m such a diligent worker who listens so well.”

[You do listen. Only listen. You rarely answer.]

Seo-na flared up.

“That’s because it’s all bullshit. Just listening to the bullshit is fulfilling my duty as a subordinate.”

[That’s true.]

Umji acknowledged it coolly. But in a moment of letdown, Umji hit the mark with uncharacteristic precision.

[Then why didn’t you let the bullshit go in one ear and out the other this time?]

If anyone else had asked, she would have had an answer. Because they’re paying me a lot. But stolen contentthat wasn’t an excuse [Read on Read BL Novels]on Read BL Novels -->that would work on Umji, who knew her well. Her friend noticed her hesitation with uncanny precision again.

[There really is a reason, isn’t there?]

“…I told you there isn’t.”

[Han Seo-na. I’m starting to feel hurt. I’ll keep the secret, so tell me.]

Seo-na hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Because there’s someone I care about in the North.”

[The Gopnalssu author?!!]

Did Umji receive a divine revelation today? Seo-na nodded enthusiastically, impressed by her friend.

“Right, that person. I still need to confirm, but it’s a fairly accurate source…”

As she spoke, Seo-na suddenly spun around and reached her hand forward. Someone was standing in the shade about 10 meters away. Before she could even identify the person, a small whirlwind gathered into a ball in front of her hand. The ball, spinning rapidly with dust, was so fast that it looked like opaque plastic at a glance. The person in the darkness muttered, seeing the wind ball Seo-na had created.

“You have no hesitation in using your power.”

“I’ll call you back.”

Seo-na hung up and lowered her hand. The person in the darkness walked slowly into the light of the streetlamp. Hong Seung-wook, famous for being polite, examined Seo-na with sharp eyes.

“Han Seo-na-ssi. Did you find a perfectly matching Guide?”

“No. If I haven’t, are you planning to introduce me to one?”

Seo-na asked back crookedly, raising her hand again to deliberately create a wind ball.

“Or is it written in law that an Esper [[visit our site]class="wm" style="opacity:0;font-size:1px;user-select:all;">unauthorized copy]at risk of rampage without a Guide shouldn’t even defend themselves to this extent?”

Seung-wook muttered, looking sharply at the wind ball again.

“If there’s a risk of rampage, couldn’t even that be a trigger? Yet, Han Seo-na-ssi, you look very comfortable right now.”

“I’ve been nagged so much for not making an uncomfortable face when I’m uncomfortable. I didn’t know I’d get a lecture for hiding my expression, too.”

Even though Seo-na countered without backing down, Seung-wook’s sharp gaze did not soften. Rather, he took a step forward as if trying to dig out more secrets.

“If you hide your expression well, you must be good at hiding the opposite too. Becoming comfortable after receiving guiding, without anyone knowing.”

Seo-na focused her strength at her fingertips, wondering what this man thought he knew. If she clashed with an A-class Esper, she would obviously be defeated, but if he knew something about Won-woo, she couldn’t just let him go. Still, she first wore a mask, pretending as much as possible that it wasn’t true.

“Team Leader Hong. Stop beating around the bush and say what you want to say. Are you suspecting that I received illegal private guiding? If so, find evidence and report me. I have nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Then did you receive guiding through legitimate means? From whom?”

“If you’re curious, go dig through my Center guiding records.”

“I did. But Ji Won-woo-ssi’s name wasn’t there.”

Seo-na strained her eyes to avoid frowning.

“Ji Won-woo-ssi is a D-class Guide. You should know that.”

“I know very well. I also know that despite being D-class, he covers all Waves. Did you not receive guiding from Ji Won-woo-ssi?”

“I did. Though it was guiding that barely made a dent.”

Seo-na spoke with a deliberate sneer, staring at Seung-wook. Why on earth did he come to find me? Did he find something out? As she wondered, Seung-wook turned his gaze to the air as if thinking for a moment. Then, he suddenly changed the subject.

“You’re going North?”

“Yes.”

“Is there a reason? Ah, you said there’s someone you care about in the North.”

As Seung-wook openly mentioned the contents of the call he had eavesdropped on, Seo-na’s jaw twitched. Seung-wook asked brazenly, despite Seo-na’s expression.

“May I ask who it is?”

“No. It’s my privacy. However, I can tell you for sure that the person is not Ji Won-woo-ssi.”

Despite Seo-na’s strong denial, Seung-wook did not back down.

“I never asked if it was Ji Won-woo-ssi.”

“Yes. But it seems like you’re looking for Ji Won-woo-ssi. Am I wrong?”

Seung-wook avoided the answer by turning his gaze, and Seo-na frowned in that gap. Is he really looking for Won-woo-nim? Why on earth? Seo-na observed Seung-wook, recalling the rumors that had existed between him and Won-woo.

The rumors said Won-woo-nim had been the only one chasing him; did he have feelings too? If that were true, it was absolute bullshit. You should treat someone well while they’re there; what’s the point of looking for them after they’ve left?

“Yes, I am looking for Ji Won-woo-ssi. Is he perhaps in the North?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“If he is in the North, tell him it’s dangerous and he must leave immediately.”

Seo-na, who had been responding crookedly, fell silent this time. Seung-wook’s voice was unusual. It was a known fact that the North was dangerous, but he was speaking as if there were something more to it.

“What’s dangerous?”

“I cannot say.”

“If you say it like that, I can’t believe…”

“That’s because anyone who learns of this information is killed.”

“….”

“The North will soon fall into great chaos.”

Seung-wook let out a deep sigh, shut his mouth tight, then took a step toward Seo-na and repeated.

“If he needs a place to escape, I can help. Tell him to contact me.”

Seo-na gave no answer, but Seung-wook turned his body away. It was only a hunch, but he felt that Seo-na would be able to contact Won-woo. Thus, he wanted to track her, but he suppressed his urgency because of the contact he had received earlier.

‘Go to the main house immediately. Now that Ji Geun-oh has power in his hands, it seems he’s planning to properly devour the North. He seems to be plotting something in league with the Yang Family. You’ve heard it before, right? That there are problems [Read stolen contenton Read BL Novels]with monster appearances in the North. It seems that matter is about to escalate. They said the North cannot handle it with their own strength and will request help.

Therefore, they need Espers to send to the North. Our Hong Family has also agreed to send someone. The North is such a huge piece; we can’t let the Yang Family and Ji Geun-oh swallow it whole. The Hong Family must take a solid share. So you apply, Seung-wook. Then we can get the Northern farms in our hands.’

No matter how full of excitement his father’s voice was, he had no intention of following. However, listening to Seo-na’s call just now changed his mind. What if Ji Won-woo was in the North?

‘Because there’s someone I care about in the North.’

Seo-na had denied it, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that she was related to Won-woo. It was also strange that the mastermind who tried to hold him back by using the bank president’s daughter was the Gye Family of the North. Even without exact evidence, he had an intuition that the Gye Family was involved in Ji Won-woo’s disappearance. Just then, a question from behind broke Seung-wook’s thoughts.

“Why should Ji Won-woo-ssi contact Team Leader Hong?”

As Seung-wook turned halfway back, Seo-na asked again with a puzzled face.

“Even if you’re colleagues from the same Eastern Center, he’s not a member of your team, Team Leader Hong.”

“Do I have to explain my personal reasons to Han Seo-na-ssi?”

“If you explain, I’ll listen.”

At the brazen answer, Seung-wook frowned. Even regardless of their status at the Eastern Center, Espers are ranked by grade. Seung-wook was rumored to be polite to everyone, but he never lowered himself. When power and authority were needed, he used them without hesitation.

“I believe I said it was a personal reason. Who are you to demand an explanation?”

“I didn’t demand one. I just meant that if you happen to say it, I’ll listen.”

Far from backing down from the opponent’s murderous energy, Seo-na added crookedly.

“I didn’t want to hear stories about Team Leader Hong and Ji Won-woo-ssi, but I’ve heard them a few times from the people around me. The rumors were all about how Ji Won-woo-ssi chased Team Leader Hong to the point of stalking.”

“Do you want to brag that you know my circumstances based on mere rumors?”

“No. I just want to point out the fact that despite visit [Read on Read BL Novels]our sitesuch rumors, Team Leader Hong never once corrected them.”

Now, Seung-wook’s jaw twitched. Anger filled his eyes, but Seo-na spat out her words until the end.

“You never once stepped forward while Ji Won-woo-ssi was being bullied by the people at the Eastern Center for so long, yet now you’re looking for him for personal reasons. And you’re someone who is openly in a relationship.”

“….”

“I’ll be going now.”